coteaux du loir

Janvier 2010 Coteaux du Loir “Cuvée du Rosier” (Loire) – Pineau d’aunis, which means it’s likely that I’ll hate it. Which I do. It tastes like an ash-dusted vinyl fetish suit. (Well, I mean, so I hear.) Look, I fully agree with anyone’s objection that this is my personal issue with the grape rather than some external truism, but an issue it is, and unfortunately this is the exact opposite of pleasurable for me. If pineau d’aunis was the last grape on earth, well…I’d be a very sober man. (11/11)

Nicolas “Domaine de Bellivière” 2006 Coteaux du Loir “L’Effraie” (Loire) – Drinks as if white flowers have been slammed, repeatedly, into a limestone wall. Soft and hard at the same time. I’m not sure what to think about its future development, but it’s a pretty intriguing drink now. (8/11)

Nicolas “Domaine de Bellivière” 2006 Coteaux du Loir “l’Effraie” (Loire) – Semi-oxidized, and though chenin is a grape that can handle a certain amount of oxygen, this has gone too far in a stale, coppered nut direction. There’s still dust and softness, as there was in the wine’s youth, but both have been rendered clumsy by the oxidation. A shame. I have more, so I’m hoping cork variance is at least partially to blame. (5/11)

Nicolas “Domaine de Bellivière” 2006 Coteaux du Loir “L’Effraie” (Loire) – All the structural elements (a little fruit-sweetness, just enough acidity) are here, and it seems like the wine I know, but it resists attempts to draw anything else forth. Is this just closed, is it off, or is it already fading? The intention was to give it a day or so of aeration to see what might develop, but repetitive puzzled sampling killed that idea. Well, there’s more, so we’ll see what happens to the next one. (10/10)

Chaussard (Briseau) “Nana, Vins et Cie” 2006 Coteaux du Loir “You Are So Beautiful” (Loire) – A chameleon. For a while, it’s volatile and prickly, all tinny treble tones. Then it deepens, reaching its most appealing stage with exciting aromas of slightly underripe reddish-green berries gently crushed directly under one’s nose; the seemingly brittle exterior is supported by a good deal of pressure within. It broadens further with even more air, but as it does the fruit gains a vinyl sheen dusted with a fairly significant abrasion of fireplace ash, turns to darker berries, then sort of gives up on itself. I’ll say this: you won’t be bored. (1/09)

Chaussard (Briseau) “Nana, vins et cie” 2006 Coteaux du Loir “You are so beautiful” (Loire) – Tense. Pretty, but nervous, with lovely red fruit and the numb snap of Sichuan peppercorn, done up in edgy colors and quavering textures. This is really very appealing, and seems to bend and twist to conform to a rather wide range of culinary partners, but it’s bracingly drinkable by itself, too. The label “real wine” is sometimes applied to wines like this, and here there’s good reason: it’s a very…winy wine, if that makes any sense. (8/08)